


Burn the House Down

by PhoenixInTheAsh



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-06-12 20:12:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15347781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixInTheAsh/pseuds/PhoenixInTheAsh
Summary: Stephanie Brown rarely has anything go the way she plans. Honestly, she's been getting by on sheer determination and a lot of waffles. However, things take a turn for the worse when she runs into her ex and ends up lying about her current relationship status. But pretending to date a former dead guy is not the weirdest thing she’s ever done.





	1. Chapter 1

     Being a vigilante can cause all sorts of problems in one’s personal life. Other than the basics of trying to hide your nightlife from the people closest to you, it also makes it very difficult to meet people. Mainly, there’s just no time for dating when you have to kick criminal butt every night. There’s also the minor detail of being unable to get close to someone due to the whole secret identity thing. It’s not like there’s a single vigilantes dot com. And she hadn’t exactly ever been welcomed into the Titans, where all the other heroes her age did their dating. In short, Steph was _very_ single. Painfully, horribly single, with no hope of rectifying that any time soon. So running into her ex and his new significant other was her worst nightmare.

      “Heyyyy, Tim.” Steph gives him a lame wave with her free hand as her other hand tightens its grip on the shopping basket. “What are you doing here?”

     Tim’s eyes light up a bit at the sight of her, looking barely uncomfortable as he shifts his weight, leaning back into a more relaxed posture.

     “Getting groceries, probably the same as you. One of my….apartments is close by and needed restocking, since I’ve been in California for a while. Kon offered to help out, to make sure I got decent food instead of just coffee, so here we are.” The two glance at each other for a moment, chuckling to themselves in what is clearly an inside joke before turning back to her.

     “That’s cool. So, uh…how long are you back for? I thought California was a permanent move for you.”

     She doesn’t miss the way his face falls, even if his composure is back in a split second.

     “We are taking a break from the…people over there. Bruce has a lot on his hands right now, so I’m—we’re back to help for as long as that takes.”

     “That’s great, Tim. I’m sure the extra hands will be helpful.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, trying her best to not look as awkward as she feels. “It’s great to see you.”

     “It’s great to see you, too. How have you been? I feel like we haven’t talked in ages.”

     Steph decides not to point out that they _haven’t_ , in fact, talked in a while, electing to smile and nod instead.

     “I’m good, same as always. Still at Gotham U. Still working with Babs.”

     “That’s great. I can’t wait to see you in action again.”

     “Yep, everything’s just….great.” She laughs uncomfortably as a uneasy silence settles over the three of them, Kon watching Tim in confusion as Tim watches Steph and Steph looks anywhere but at the two men in front of her.

     The silence is broken when Kon coughs and Tim simultaneously clears his throat, and they both chuckle a little. Tim reaches to rub the back of his neck, taking a breath as if to say something, but releases it with a huff instead. Steph’s eyes follow his arm as it drops back to his side, she zones out a bit, not hearing when Tim asks her a question. Her eyes snap back up when she realizes, widening in embarrassment.

     “Uh, sorry, what did you say?”

     Tim looks amused, but repeats himself anyway.

     “Are you seeing anyone?”

     Steph hesitates, not wanting to tell her ex and his boyfriend that she is hopelessly single, but also not wanting to get caught in an obvious lie. After a beat, the words are out before she can stop them.

     “Yeah, actually.” She flushes, embarrassed. _Great job, Girl Wonder. How are you going to get yourself out of this one?_

     “Really, that’s awesome! Who is it? Anyone I know? I remember one of the team mentioning how pretty you are….Kon, do you remember who it was?”

     Kon just shrugs, clearly trying to stay out of the conversation.

     “Tim, I’m not sure this is the best time--” Steph starts, trying to avoid naming someone specific and the embarrassment of admitting that she is lying, but Tim cuts her off, misreading her mood completely.

     “So it is someone I know. Are they Titans? Someone from Gotham U? One of the GCPD officers?”

     Stephanie cringes, the situation spiraling out of control quickly.

     “Tim please, can we not do this--” This time, she is interrupted by a familiar face wandering into the aisle, and as soon as she catches sight of them, she starts praying for the ground to open up and swallow her. At this point, her day couldn’t get much worse.

     “Well, well, well. What the hell are you doing on this side of the country, Tim-bo?”

     Jason approaches the small group, coming to stand next to Stephanie, who has a hand over her face, trying to hide her deepening blush of embarrassment. She had already bumped into Jason here, so she opted to not acknowledge his presence, and he seemed to do the same, exchanging greetings with Tim with a small grin on his stupidly pretty face.

     “So, I know Steph and I live nearby, but what brings you to this part of town? Aren’t you staying uptown in your place over by Wayne Tower?”

     All the color drains from Stephanie’s face at Jason’s wording, realizing how that must sound right after she had been grilled over the identity of her non-existent boyfriend. She can practically _see_ Tim’s thought process as he puts the pieces together, going from confusion, to calculating, to disbelief.

     “ _Jason_ ? You’re dating _Jason_?” If Tim’s eyebrows raise anymore, they might pop off his face.

     She can feel Jason’s eyes on her, after all, he knows for a fact that she is single. She decides against her better judgement (there’s honestly no way any of this ends well anyway) and meets Jason’s eyes as she answers Tim.

     “Well, we weren’t really ready to tell anyone yet.”

     Jason’s eyes widen as he realizes what she’s dragging him into.

     “Steph--” Jason’s protest dies in his throat when he glances at Tim, who suddenly appears as if he is about to have a stroke. Something changes in Jason’s eyes when he turns to address Steph again.

     “I thought we talked about waiting to tell everyone until after the Zsaz case was wrapped.”

     Stephanie has to consciously stay still to keep from mauling him with a huge thank you hug, and she shakes her head.

     “Tim figured it out pretty quickly, there’s no point in trying to deny it.” She glances at Tim and Kon, throwing all of her acting skills into a pleading look. “Please don’t mention it to anyone. We should be the ones to break the news, okay? I don’t want to get a billion phone calls.”

     Tim nods stiffly, looking more vomit-y than stroke-y by this point. Kon steps forward in a stroke of brilliance and puts a hand on Tim’s shoulder.

     “We should be going. We have several other errands to run before tonight. Don't worry, no one will hear anything from us. See you guys later.”

     He pulls Tim away by the shoulders to a chorus of “see you”s from Jason and Steph. As soon as the pair is out of sight, Jason rounds on her, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at her.

     “Do I get an explanation or should I tell you what I think happened?”

     Steph cringes, not wanting to face him. She opens her mouth and closes it almost immediately afterwards, swallowing air like a fish while she tries to find the words to explain. Jason rolls his eyes.

     “Here's what I think. I think you just got ambushed by your ex and you weren't ready to admit that you haven't moved on yet. Made up a fake boyfriend and suddenly I was there to solve all of your problems. Really, Blondie, I’m flattered but was I the best choice there? Timmy looked like his head was about to explode. You could have picked anyone. Hell, you could have made up someone.”

     Steph glances at her feet, unsure of how to respond.

     “You’re right. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was just trying to get him off my back, and you were right there.”

     “And now he thinks we are together.”

     Jason’s tone and facial expression are completely unreadable.

     “I’m sure we--I can fix this somehow. I’ll just tell Tim we broke up, or something. It’s no big deal, really…”

     An amused smile breaks out over his face, and he shakes his head with a small chuckle.

     “Blondie, look. Clearly you need something to get over Timmy, and if me playing along in whatever you just dragged me into will help you get over that, then I will help you out.”

     Steph’s bewilderment at his sudden agreement to help her turns quickly into suspicion, and she shifts her basket to her other arm as her eyes narrow at him.

     “Wait, what are you getting out of this? Why do you even want to help me?”

     He rolls his eyes and starts walking toward the produce, looking through the apples and examining a few as he talks.

     “I get the pleasure of seeing Timmy’s head explode every time he thinks about the two of us being together. Plus a nice distraction from everything else going on in our lives.”

     He moves on to the vegetables, grabbing a couple of good sized peppers, but something about his nonchalant stance seems too forced, as if he is hiding something. Steph follows him and moves into his line of sight, crossing her arms.

     “You want something in return. Tell me.”

     He meets her eyes, trying to get a read on her and responds with a raised eyebrow.

     “Who said I want anything?”

     “You didn’t have to say anything. You have zero reason to help me. So if you did, I’d owe you something. What is it that you want in return for helping me?”

     He stays silent for a very long moment, staring at her as if he's waiting to see if she's going to take her offer back. Hesitantly, he responds.

     “I could use some help with a case--”

     “Done.” Steph doesn’t hesitate, more than willing to trade some case work to protect her dignity.

     He raises an eyebrow at her immediate response, then continues.

     “--but you aren’t going to like the help I need.”

     She frowns again at his hesitation, confused as to what exactly the case entails that would make him pause to ask for help. Her frown twists deeper when she realizes that he needs her help specifically, or he would have gone to Dick or Barbara. She glances over him for the hundredth time, trying to extract the information from his body language and sheer force of will. Her eyes narrow suspiciously.

     “What kind of help are we talking? And why me?”

     He finally turns away from the vegetables and faces her fully, appraising her in return.

     “It’s an undercover gig. Infiltration and destruction of a crime ring. I can give you the details later.”

     She mirrors his speculative gaze, staring him down.

     “You didn’t answer my question. Why me?”

     He takes a long time to answer, his jaw clenched and eyes on the floor before sweeping up to meet hers, deep teal meeting clear blue.

     “I need bait.”

     Suddenly, every reason she had ever been given to stay away from Jason Todd came flooding back to mind. She hopelessly wondered why she had failed to listen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to flywiththegryffindork for making this possible.
> 
> Title is inspired by the AJR song of the same name.


	2. Chapter 2

     Steph mentally grumbles to herself, wondering how the hell she’d been dragged into this mess. _Oh right, because you sold your soul to the Red Hood so that he’d play along and pretend to date you._

    Stephanie had received a text in the middle of class earlier that day from Jason, demanding she meet him at the Gotham Mall that afternoon. Sure, she was usually resistant to other people’s demands, but she was curious. Sue her.

    How he had gotten her phone number _and_ class schedule is something she was determined to interrogate him over later. He had given her a hasty explanation outside the mall about wanting to work on her undercover skills for the case he needs her help with, and then proceeded to drag her into every other store they passed, with enthusiasm.

    Come to think of it, she did notice that his demeanor was much different now than she’d ever seen from him. Hell, he has even been _smiling_ every so often. Not to mention the casual conversation about random bits of furniture. _The mighty Red Hood, talking about home decor. This must be an alternate dimension._

    In spite of the out-of-place cheery attitude, Steph is distinctly uncomfortable with the situation. She had not been this close to someone whose ass she wasn’t kicking since Tim and before him there had only been one other person. Sure, she’d gone on dates, but no date had ever gone well enough for her to let them hold her hand after.

    If the physical contact didn’t, then merely the fact that the person holding her hand is the Red _freaking_ Hood would have made her uncomfortable. He’d decapitated people with this hand, for Pete’s sake. It is enough to shut her up for the entire time they’d been there, only commenting when asked a direct question. Maybe she is going into shock. Or hallucinating. Or--

    “Stephanie?”

     _This is the first time he’s said my actual name_ , she belatedly realizes. It is enough to break her out of her daze, and she blinks up at him. The cheery facade is gone without a trace, replaced by the frown and that hard look in his eye that he usually wears. She vaguely notices that he is steering them toward a secluded bench, where they will be mostly isolated from other mall-goers.

    “Is this the part where you reveal that you’re a serial killer and strangle me?”

    “No,” he chuckles, a little bit of the mirth from earlier returning to his eyes. “I might be a serial killer, but I know better than to attack you.”

    A pretzel is placed into her hands, and she glances down at it, then back up to him in confusion.

    “It helps normalize you. Don’t feel like you have to eat it, but holding something so mundane in a public setting makes you appear non-threatening to the untrained eye.”

    She still doesn’t speak, wondering where he learned that and in what world he would find that to be necessary information, but her head is clearer now so she takes a bite, smirking at him through the mouthful.

    He rolls his eyes in return.

    “Hey, are you okay? You seemed fine when you got here but since we started this training exercise, you zoned out. I asked you what your favorite color was and you told me that floral pillowcases are in right now.”

    Steph lowers the pretzel, embarrassed.

    “Sorry, it’s been a very long day, and I didn’t expect to get whisked off to ‘training’ right after classes. I’m pretty exhausted,” she admits, glancing longingly behind him at the coffee chain.

    Another eye roll, squeeze of the shoulder, and a whispered, _stay right here_ , and he’s gone, returning several minutes later with a warm cup for both of them. Steph accepts the cup gratefully, sipping it and humming softly with closed eyes.

    “Better? Think you might be up to focusing on training now?”

    She nods, relaxing a little as she wonders how the boy who just bought her coffee without even being asked could have killed so many people.

    “I’ve never really done undercover work before, so maybe you should just start with the basics. Tell me what I should and shouldn’t be doing, how I can best pretend to be someone else. All the tips and tricks you can give me.”

    Jason almost immediately launches into a long-winded lecture about the best ways to approach undercover work, and Steph feels like she should have brought something to take notes with. Fortunately, she is able to pay attention this time as she sips on her coffee and manages to retain most of the information.

    “Ready to put all of that to the test?”

* * *

  _You don’t have to be over the top. If you’re trying too hard, people will automatically recognize that something is off._

    Steph stifles a ridiculous laugh upon seeing Jason’s raised eyebrow, the only break in character she had seen since leaving the bench, trying to remember what he had said just a few minutes ago. She collects herself and lays a hand on his arm, giving a much calmer but clearly fake laugh instead. Jason rolls his eyes and turns back to the rack of costumes in front of them, putting away the barely-there “Slutty Batgirl” getup.

    She tries to focus as they circle through the racks, reminding herself that there is no need for excessive displays of affection to convince people they are together. She settles for grabbing his hand and interlacing their fingers, and he squeezes her hand in affirmation of her improved decision.

     _The devil is in the details. Small actions and gestures will go further in convincing someone than big, obvious ones._

    Steph contemplates this for a moment in an electronics store, wondering what the best gesture to get his attention away from the speaker system to show him something else across the room. Remembering the warmth of his hand on her shoulder earlier, she steps up next to him, placing a light hand on his back, just above his hip.

    “Babe?”

    He turns, surprise and pride in his eyes as he follows her to the TVs. The whisper in her ear is not as subtle of a gesture.

    “Good work. Touches like that suggest comfortable intimacy, without being so obvious as a hand in the back pocket or groping. I’m so proud.”

    He leans away, wiping fake tears from his cheeks, and she smacks him in exactly the same spot.

_Don’t try and be someone totally different. It is too easy to forget details of who you are trying to be when there’s fifty of them. Pick a trait or two that is different from who you normally are, and stick to those._

    Steph hangs back a little, opting to hide slightly behind Jason as he talks to a store’s associate. “Shy” was her first thought of a trait she could pretend to have that was most unlike her typical personality, and it was surprisingly easy to fall into.

    She gives a small wave at the associate when Jason introduces her as his girlfriend, but chooses to remain silent instead of commenting on his band t-shirt like she desperately wants to.

    Once their conversation is finished, Jason’s smirk at her is reward enough, but he tops it anyway.

    “Well done.”

_Most importantly, you have to believe that whatever you are pretending to be is real. Fully commit to the illusion. You have to convince yourself before you can convince anyone else._

Looking up at Jason’s goofy grin and dancing eyes, Steph _did_ believe it. In another life, away from all of the masks and problems that come with their chosen life. Where no one had died. Where no one killed people. Perhaps they would have found each other.

    She returns his contagious grin, gripping his fingers a little tighter and letting out a small giggle at his corny joke.

    Perhaps.

    They turn the corner to leave the mall, and the illusion breaks enough to bring Steph back to reality and away from what could never be.

* * *

      “So, what now? Are my acting skills up to par yet? Do I finally get to know what this mission is that you need my help with?”

    They make their way over to where Jason's bike is parked, and Steph bites her tongue to keep from asking for a ride back home. She could walk back, just like she walked there. They stop next to the shiny red contraption. He smirks at her, shaking his head as he picks up his helmet.

    “That was lesson one. You've still got a ways to go. Remember, you're going to have to convince _Bruce_ that you actually chose to date me. Not to mention my mission.”

    She frowns in return, shifting her weight uncomfortably, wondering at his self-depreciative tone.

    “Then teach me more. If I'm ever going to learn, I need to know how to do this. Please.”

    He eyes her for a long moment, an unreadable expression on his face.

    “Are you hungry? ‘Cause I was thinking about stopping for food.”

    An actual smile breaks out on her face, relief washing over her. She briefly wonders why he's being so open with her, when he clearly wants nothing to do with any of the Bats. The thought is quickly brushed away.

    “Starving.”

* * *

    “Have you thought about what we are going to do when the Zsasz case is wrapped?”

    Stephanie frowns down at her fries upon hearing the question, not having a good answer.

     “What do you mean? Like how are we going to tell everyone that we’re ‘together’? I haven’t really thought about it, honestly I wasn’t really thinking when I lied about it in the first place. It was kind of an impulse thing, you know. Between school and our mall escapades, I haven’t had much time to really give it a lot of thought. What do you think we should do?”

    She asks, playing with her food to relieve some of the pent up energy that came with the awkward dinner they were having. She glances up at him when he doesn’t respond immediately, finding his eyes also on his food and wearing a frown that matches her own.

    “I don’t know. You dragged me into this, so I assumed you would be handling all of the planning for this part of our arrangement. But Tim thinks we are going to tell everyone once Zsasz gets locked up. If you don’t, he will get suspicious.”

    Jason’s eyes remain on the food while he speaks, for some reason refusing to make eye contact with her. He looks strangely fidgety, as if someone so intimidating could be uncomfortable just sitting in a booth eating dinner.

    “Yeah, then that’s what we’ll do. We can just...tell them over dinner or something. It’s not like we need to send out announcements. I’m sure Alfred will require a mandatory family dinner sometime soon and then we can just tell everyone then. It doesn’t have to be some huge thing, right?”

    She shrugs, watching him closely while she speaks,. She hopes he’ll be satisfied with the completely lame idea she managed to throw together. He tenses even further at the mention of Alfred and dinner, but tries to play it off by fiddling with his jacket.

    “Meet the parents, great. I’m _killer_ at birthday parties too,” he jokes, but doesn’t shake the unease that has settled over him.

     Stephanie doesn’t laugh, finally drawing his eyes back to hers. She’s not Cass, but she can tell that something is wrong with the way he his holding himself, and there is something off in the look he gives her. She wisely decides not to mention it.

     “If that’s a problem, I can figure something else out. I just figured that’d be easiest. Hey, at least you don’t have to meet _my_ dad. But if you wanna get some practice in, visiting hours at Blackgate are from eleven to three.”

    She smirks a little at her own joke and takes a bite of her food, trying to get him to relax by showing that she is comfortable enough to eat around him. Maybe he will chill if she acts normal.

    He lets out a long breath after rolling his eyes, but he is still looking in her general direction instead of at his untouched food. She counts this as progress.

    “No, that would be the simplest way to do it. It’s not that. I just haven’t exactly been welcome at the Manor in a long time.”

     “Well, if you’re my boyfriend, they’ll have to get over it. It’s not like I’ve ever been anything but a disappointment for them anyway. I can just add this to the list,” she says easily, knowing that’s exactly how it will go. His choked laugh in response seems to surprise them both, and the dead look in his eyes has faded a little when he meets hers.

    “That’s what Robin is supposed to do. Disappoint Batman.” The sly smirk is much more fitting on his handsome face than the frown he had earlier, and she clings to the shred of hope that he is beginning to relax.

    “Well, then I was the best. That was my entire stint as Robin. It was always, Tim could do this better, Tim could have done that faster, Tim could do it one-handed. He even fired me, and I just went back to being Spoiler. The disappointed look he gave me was amazing.”

    She doesn’t miss the glance he throws around the deserted diner, checking for anyone who might overhear and wonder what blonde vigilante she could possibly be. Since the diner had been specifically chosen for its desertedness, he settles and turns back to her, glint in his eye and ready to play this game.

    “You don’t win the award for most disappointing. Not even close. I’ve had that on lock for _years_. You can’t top coming back to life and trying to kill him. It’s my crowning achievement. Though I don’t do that kind of thing anymore. You can’t tell me anything you’ve done anything that would disappoint Bruce more.”

    She pauses for dramatic effect, looking him dead in the eyes with a devious smirk before she speaks to get his full attention.

    “I slapped him. Right in the face. He didn’t even see it coming.”

    Jason’s eyes widen almost comically before he busts out laughing, looking more relaxed than he had the whole time at the restaurant. She notes how freely he laughs, a much different sound compared to his laughter at the mall. It’s _real_ , and she warms a little with pride at getting him to calm down from whatever he was so tense about. He eats a couple of fries as he reins it in to just chuckles.

    “ _Damn_ , Blondie. That’s impressive. I would pay so much money to have been there to see the look on his face when that happened. Please tell me you have more dirt on Bruce.”

    She sighs dramatically, pouting a little for emphasis.

    “Unfortunately, no. He’s pretty dirtless. Tim, on the other hand…more than you can imagine.”

    The evil grin on his face should unsettle her, but she finds it more conspiratorial than frightening.

    “Tell me everything you know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forever grateful for flywiththegryffindork, who convinced me to continue this story and helped me every time I was stuck on this chapter.  
> Also thanks to everyone who left comments and kudos, which motivated me to take this story further than the first chapter. I hope I can make it one worth telling.


	3. Chapter 3

    Jason doesn’t contact her for several days, and Stephanie starts to get antsy with anticipation. She has no idea what she’s promised to help him do, and the longer he makes her wait, the more she dreads it. She thinks that he won’t risk her well-being unnecessarily, but how well does she _actually_ know him?

    He finally texts her around four in the morning with nothing but an address and a time, which she assumes is meant for that day. Sure, being mysterious and broody is great, but what if she hadn’t checked her messages in time? Or had slept through the meeting time? Or if she had been busy during the time he sent? Isn’t it so much better to just openly communicate about these things?

     _Hey Steph, mind meeting me at this time? Sure, Jason, my schedule is free, and it’s so great that you were considerate enough to ask before demanding me be somewhere at a certain time._

    She works herself into full-blown annoyance by the time she arrives at the address, glaring at everything that passes while she waits for the door to be answered. It takes much longer than it should in Steph’s mind, but when Jason answers the door, it appears as if he just woke up, eyes squinted against the rare brightness of the sun. His hair is ruffled, the white streak in his dark hair doing its best Alfalfa imitation. Her irritation dissolves as he leans against the doorframe for support.

    “Stephanie? What the hell are you doing here?” His voice is rough, and Stephanie decides that yes, she had woken him up, and the guilt creeps up.

    “You told me to meet you here at eight?”

    “I meant eight p.m. Didn’t I specify in the message?”

    She shakes her head, and he sighs, rubbing his eyes. He opens the door wide enough for her to enter, signalling that she should come in.

    “Since you’re already here, you might as well come up.”

    He turns his back to her and leads the way upstairs, grumbling the whole time. She manages to catch a few fragments here and there as they climb.

    “...and the one time I try to work with someone, I end up with three hours sleep, isn’t...had coffee, much less breakfast...who is even _awake_ this early, much less functioning…”

    She winces a little in sympathy, knowing some of her later nights out on patrol kill her for classes the next day. She supposes she should have known the meet time was for that evening, but her guilt is completely overshadowed by her amusement at seeing the Red Hood so out of his typical persona. She’s already mentally calculating when she can come by again in the early hours of the morning just to see his hair rumpled like that.

    They finally make it to the top floor of the building, and Jason enters one of the doors off the main hallway. He makes a beeline for the coffee maker, breaking the silence only to offer her some. She declines, using the time to take in his apartment. She is taken aback by how clean it is, looking like it would pass military inspection. She resists the urge to find his bedroom and bounces quarters off the sheets.

    She takes a seat at his kitchen table, setting her bag down beside her as he finishes making his coffee, still taking in the space around her in amazement. There’s no way he lives here all the time. No one can function normally like this. He takes the seat opposite her, and sips his coffee, seeming to settle into himself. His eyes are still bleary and his hair is still a mess, but he seems more coherent, with his trademark smirk in place.

    “So, you haven’t had enough of me yet? Couldn’t help but drop by in the early hours of the morning just to talk to me?”

    Right back to normal.

    “I came because you didn’t specify morning or evening, and I assumed you were ready to talk about your case. _Finally_.”

    “Come on, Blondie, take a joke. I’m just trying to kill a few minutes to get the coffee in my system so when I explain everything to you, it doesn’t sound like gibberish.”

    He smirks over another sip, and she chuckles in response.

    “Not a morning person, are you?”

    “I like to consider myself fully nocturnal with some rare exceptions.”

    She laughs again, and true to his word it only takes a few minutes for him to begin explaining their mission.    

    “Several brothels under my protection have had girls go missing over the last several weeks...No, I don’t need you to pose as a prostitute. I could have just paid one of the ladies I’m protecting to help me. Then I wouldn’t have to deal with you.”

    Jason doesn’t look up but seems to read her mind, guessing her reaction and heading off her panic before it can really get started.

    “Everyone that has gone missing has been blonde. Hatter was my first guess, but he has been so drugged up in Arkham the last few weeks that he probably can’t remember his own name. There are no leads, other than the ladies get booked ahead of time by a new client for a meeting at a hotel, and then never come back. All the remaining blonde ladies who are under my protection have been wearing wigs or dyed their hair another color for the time being. I need to get intel from others who are involved in the other brothels around the city, but I can’t just go up and ask them. My best chance is the party coming up in a week. Penguin hosts this for every major player in Gotham’s underworld every year. It’s at the Iceberg Lounge, and all of the local drug lords and people I will need to talk to will be there.”

    He finally straightens, presenting her with a list from his desk that has many names she doesn’t recognize on it, and some she does.

    “I need to know if these people have had anyone go missing from their ranks also, or if they are kidnapping women to take out the competition. I’m hoping it’s the latter. It will be easier to deal with than a widespread problem. If that is the case, I have a lot more investigating that I’ll have to do.”

    He sighs as if he’s already facing that enormous task, so Steph finally speaks.

    “I don’t exactly understand. What’s my role in all of this?”

    He smirks at her and her stomach drops. This boy keeps finding new ways to make her regret their deal.

    “Well, I need a date. Do you happen to have any formal wear?”

* * *

    The next night, a voice crackles over the comms while Steph is taking a breather from the mugging she just stopped.

    “We finally tracked Zsasz’s location. All available units, report for assistance,” Oracle rattles off the address and Stephanie drags herself up, putting a hand to her ear to activate the mic on her comms unit.

    “Batgirl en route,” and Steph launches herself off a ledge, grappling in the direction of the address Babs gave. A few of the others respond similarly, and she smiles a little to herself at how nice it is to have backup in her ear, unlike her early days. She knows she has come a long way from the flimsy bodysuit and hoodie she wore to try and stop her father’s crimes. A lot has happened since then, but she still feels the same thrill as the line catches and pulls her into the upswing. She knows she will probably chase that feeling as long as she is physically capable.

    Steph is the first to arrive, and she surveys the seen with the infrared vision built into her cowl.

    “Oracle, what am I looking for here? The building at these coordinates appears to be empty.”

    Of all of Batman’s crazies, Zsasz was in the top ten worst. He was the kind of crazy that made her dad’s villainy look normal. She had seen some of Zsasz’s work the last time he had escaped. The time he had captured her as Robin didn’t compare to the horror of seeing his victims later. Her nightmares featured him, a knife, and tally marks instead of her usual parade of torture by Black Mask for several weeks.  Needless to say, she would be very glad to see him locked up where he belongs.

    “Video surveillance shows him entering the building five minutes ago, and there is no sign of him leaving. Approach with caution, Batgirl. He is _very_ dangerous. Batman and Robin are two minutes out.”

    “Copy. I’m going in.”

    Steph lets her hand fall from her comms unit, frowning. He had either snuck out of the building somehow, or he was masking his heat signature in some way. Neither were good, as both options meant he knew they were on to him. This could very well be a trap, so she has to do this carefully.

    She enters a top floor window into one big room silently, keeping her back to the wall and checking the infrared every so often. She clears the top floor quickly and easily, taking the stairs slowly. The next floor down has a long hallway off the stairs with five or six doors branching off of it. She double-checks the infrared before moving to the closest door. She verifies the room is empty and turns to check the next one, only to be met with a knife at her throat. Her eyes trace the scarred hand up the arm and finally meets Zsasz’s gaze.

    “Fancy meeting you here, Batgirl. Tell me, what happens to little birds who wander off alone at night?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyy.  
> So I'm still alive and kicking. Just needed a break, apparently. I promise, the next chapter won't take this long. I've already got the first scene just about finished. I would apologize for the cliffhanger, but do they really even exist? Is there any tension left to be had in threatening your main character with death?  
> Probably not.  
> Anyway, I am truly sorry for how long this took and how short it is. Thanks for all the support and encouragement so far! It goes a long way in helping me put pen to paper.  
> As always, thanks to my lovely editors, without whom this would never have been posted.


	4. Chapter 4

_     “Fancy meeting you here, Batgirl. Tell me, what happens to little birds who wander off alone at night?” _

    “They capture their prey, usually.”

    Steph can’t fight the smirk on her face as she kicks out, forcing Zsasz to back away. Pride fills her as he realizes that she had been waiting for him, turning her back specifically because she knew that’s when he would make his move. Surely he didn’t think he walked quietly? She had heard his footfalls the second she turned away from the hall. Even the smart criminals were stupid these days.

    She uses his sudden anger and surprise against him, landing a kick on his knee to stun him and move in close enough to slam his knife hand against the wall. To her dismay, he manages to keep it in his grip, and she has to duck a swipe immediately after. He manages to block her next kick to his knee, backing out of her way easily. She jabs for his chest after ducking another swing from the knife, using her momentum to put more force into it. He staggers back against the wall, coughing violently with rage in his eyes. He takes a predatory step forward after recovering for a second, eyes never leaving her cowl.

    “I’ll make your mark a pretty one when I’m through with you.”

    As if on cue, Batman and Robin bust through the window at the end of the hall, giving Stephanie her opening to move in and disarm him while he’s distracted. Once the knife is out of his reach, she swipes his feet out from under him, pinning him to the ground with a knee on  his  back. Batman and Robin approach quickly as she forcibly zip-ties his hands and feet, not wanting to risk him getting loose.

    “Good work, Batgirl. That was an excellent disarming move.”

    Steph’s head snaps up at the compliment, about to make some snarky retort about how he must be drugged if Batman is complimenting her , when she notices the slight differences in his shape: the smaller shoulders, the openness of the stance. She smirks at him instead.

    “Good to see you. What took you so long?”

    “You know Robin, practically begged me to stop for ice cream.”

    Damian glares at Dick, but it’s nowhere near as intense as he gets with the rest of them. It’s only fair that the kid idolizes his mentor, they all had at some point.

    “Where’s―” she cuts off, suddenly mindful of Zsasz still being conscious, “Agent, uh, B?” She prays he picks up her meaning, hoping that working with the world’s greatest detectives allows her to ask where the real Batman is without tipping off the criminal on the floor that the man in front of them isn’t the “real” Batman.

    “Bigger fish,” is all he says, glancing down at Zsasz.

    “Gotcha.” Whatever is going on, it can’t be said with present company. Dick was a rare exception that didn’t mind keeping her in the loop. Probably out of respect to the mantle she carries, but Steph will take it wherever she can get it.

    Zsasz struggle s against the zip ties, cursing.

    "This isn't over, Batgirl. I will have my mark. You crave salvation, and I can give it to you. I will have my mark. A pretty one, just for you."

    "Shut up."

    Dick punches him in the face, hard enough to break his nose and knock him unconscious. 

    Batman hails Oracle on the comms, telling her that their target has been subdued, and to alert GCPD. Steph takes the opportunity to slip away for a moment, letting Robin watch over Zsasz while she pulls out her cell phone, typing a quick message. 

_ So that whole telling people business just got moved to the top of our priority list. I hope you have a game plan, Red. _

    When she returns to the scene, Batman and Robin are waiting for her.

    "The police are on their way. Will you be okay waiting alone? Robin and I need to check on some activity in Crime Alley."

    “Sure, of course. Go ahead. I’ll finish up my patrol as soon as this is over.”

    Batman nods, leaving out the window he came in with Robin close behind, but not before  he  gives Steph one last glare for good measure.

    Steph looks down at Zsasz’s limp form, relieved. The city will be a little safer with this bozo locked up. What she doesn’t like is that this means she will have to start telling everyone about her and Jason. Tim will be expecting them to announce it soon.

    She hauls Zsasz’s body up and onto her shoulder, dragging him downstairs so she can meet the police outside and give them a report. It would save everyone some time and give her something to do while she waited. He wasn’t all that heavy, if she kept reminding herself of that fact.

    Two hours later and she is back in her apartment, halfway through peeling out of her suit when her phone rings. She answers with a groan, not having the energy to deal with him right then. She answers anyway, unable to keep the exasperation out of her voice.

    “What do you want, Tim?”

    “Hey to you, too. I heard you got Zsasz, just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

    She immediately regrets her snappy tone, taking a deep breath to reset and continue the conversation civilly.

    “I’m fine, just a few bruises, nothing out of the ordinary. He’s not much of a problem when he doesn’t have a knife.”

    “Yeah, I know. Just thought I would check in anyway.”

    “That was nice of you, but I’m perfectly fine.”

    An awkward silence falls, and Steph waits out whatever it is Tim wants to say. She knows when he’s got something on his mind, and the whole conversation had sounded strange.

    “So, when are you going to tell everyone about you and Jason?”

    There it is. She just wishes he hadn’t verbalized exactly what she had been wondering the last few hours.

    “I don’t know. It might be a while. Or we might just never tell anyone. Not sure yet.”

    “Steph, you can’t be serious. You  _ have _ to tell everyone. Sooner, rather than later.”

    “It’s not like I’m lying about it. And we just got Zsasz put away tonight. It can wait a little while. There’s a lot going on right now. It isn’t really a good time to be making announcements,” Stephanie huffs, using her annoyance at him trying to boss her around to cover her nerves about revealing her “relationship” with Jason. If everyone took it as well as Tim had, she probably  _ would  _ be better off keeping the secret. Even if the relationship was technically not real. She really didn’t need anyone questioning her sanity more than they already were.

    “Keeping something like this to yourself could actually be dangerous in our line of work. What if you got injured and Jason went off the rails? We need to be able to predict these things, and having all the information is crucial to knowing all the possible outcomes. Not to mention adjusting patrol routes so the two of you don’t get distracted.”

    “First of all, I don’t like that you’re assuming  _ I _ would be the one getting hurt in this situation. Secondly, you and I used to get ‘distracted’ on patrol all the time and you had no problem with it then. I can focus on patrol just fine, thank you. Thirdly,  _ off the rails _ ? Really?”

    “...he doesn’t exactly have the reputation of being the most sane, stable person on the team. It has happened a time or two.”

     “Whatever. Look, It’ll be fine. We will tell everyone soon. I don’t plan on keeping it a secret forever. I just…”

_ I’m not ready to start lying to everyone. _

    There is a beat of silence, and she can almost  _ hear _ his frustration.

    “How about tomorrow? Alfred is having one of those family dinners that he insists everyone be at. Get Jason to come. It’s the perfect opportunity to tell everyone. Dick is even in town right now.”

    Steph sighs, hoping Tim can hear it through the phone.

    “Fine, I’ll talk to Jason and see if he’s free. But that’s not a guarantee that we will tell everyone tomorrow.”

    “If you don’t, I will.”

    “What are you, five?”

    She frowns, wondering how and when their relationship had changed to the point that  _ she  _ was saying that to  _ him _ . The maturity high ground was not familiar territory for her.

    “We will see. No promises.”

    “I’ll take it. Bye, Steph. See you tomorrow.”

    She scoffs at his assumption, but he has already hung up. She drops her phone next to her on the bed, running her hands over her face. Why did he have to be so damn judgemental? It was  _ her  _ fake relationship, shouldn’t she be the one to decide how and when to tell people?

    She already dreads bringing it up to Jason. He had reacted negatively the one time she had brought up a family dinner, though maybe he had gotten accustomed to the idea by now. She wasn’t ready to deal with all of that, but she had to tell him about Tim’s ultimatum as soon as possible. She could only pray Jason was free the next night.

    She picks up her phone, scrolling through her contacts, frowning when she sees he hasn’t responded to her message. She dials anyway.

    “Hey, Blondie.”

    “Hey…so I just got off the phone with Tim…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to split this chapter into two parts because it ended up being too long, so enjoy. I am giving up on a steady posting schedule for now, but hopefully I can come back to it at some point.
> 
> As always, credit to my lovely editors for making me get through this.


	5. Chapter 5

    Jason toes at the concrete, blinking at the bright sunset and looking more uncomfortable than Steph has ever seen him. They had ridden together from the city for appearances and now wait outside the front door of Wayne Manor. Steph takes in his tense shoulders and fidgety hands for only a moment before intervening.

    “Don’t worry, meeting the parents might seem intimidating, but I think you will be fine. It’ll feel like you’ve known them for years.”

    Jason lets out a strangled laugh, his eyes snapping to hers in surprised amusement.

    “Good to know.”

    He takes a deep breath, tilting his head back and closing his eyes to soak up the rare sunlight in the last few minutes of peace. Steph feels like banging her head against a wall with how unfairly pretty Jason and all of the other Gotham vigilantes are. Seriously, they’re all freaking supermodels and almost none of them are related by blood. Steph feels a little plain in comparison, her blonde hair the only thing setting her apart in a sea of people with perfect dark hair. And Barbara, but she is perfect all by herself.

    Steph is broken out of her thoughts when the door finally opens, Alfred greeting them with a cordial smile and a welcoming gesture, standing back to allow them entry.

    “My apologies, Master Jason, Miss Brown. Master Damian tried to set fire to Master Tim again. I had to lock the two in separate rooms just to answer the door. Dinner will be ready shortly, I trust you can find your way around.”

    They both mumble words of greeting and thanks, not wanting to speak too loudly with that dangerous look in his eye. He nods once, and turns to march back to the kitchen. Alfred’s fury is not one to mess with, especially when he is clearly on the warpath already. They hang up their own coats.

    “We should wait until everyone is together before making the announcement so we don’t have to repeat it multiple times. If Tim and Dami are upstairs, it would be pointless to say anything now,” she sighs. “We shouldn’t wait here at the door, as much as I’d like to. As much as both of us would like to, probably. You ready to face this?”

    She glances at him, getting her hopes dashed when Jason still looks tense enough to bolt. She loops her arm through his with a smirk.

    “C’mon boyfriend, time to face the music.”

    She drags him down the hallway, listening for voices to try and find the others that have already arrived. She finds them in Bruce’s study, hearing Dick’s laughter from several doors away. She slides in through the cracked door wearing a smile buoyed by Jason’s lessons to hide her nerves.

    “Hey guys! Look who I found!”

    Dick, Barbara, Cass, and Bruce all turn her way, giving greetings in return before spotting Jason coming through the door behind her. She would laugh, if she had thought to, at the various reactions to realizing Jason came to dinner. Each reaction is priceless, dropped jaws and raised eyebrows all around. Dick’s was her favorite, though, his expression looking nearly cartoonish before it morphs into pure excitement. He stands, moving to embrace Jason, but Cass beats him to it, wrapping her small arms around his waist. Jason returns her embrace, more affectionate than Steph has ever seen him. His tension melts off ever so slightly when Cass looks at him, and Steph feels a little relief herself. The more relaxed both of them are, the better this will go.

    Cass pats Jason on the head, standing on her tiptoes to reach. She whispers something to him quickly and he winks in response, making her giggle. Steph can’t help but be a little miffed when her best friend only gives her a pat on the back in greeting. Jason gets the full hug just because he’s never around? Well then.

    Dick greets Jason with more calm than he had approached with, guiding Jason to a seat next to his own. Steph finds a seat next to Babs, looking up to ask how everyone is doing and meeting the older woman’s pointed look. 

    “What?”

    “Something is going on.”

_  Damn her perceptiveness. _

    “I’ll tell you later,” Steph nods, glancing at Bruce within hearing distance. She is sticking to her guns on telling everyone at the same time, even if Babs threatens to kill her for it.

    Barbara seems to accept this, leaning back in her seat and engaging Steph in conversation about some updates to the Batgirl suit while they wait for Alfred to finish with dinner. Steph glances at Jason every so often to ensure he is still somewhat relaxed. He meets her eyes every other glance, seemingly checking on her too.

    It isn’t long before Alfred comes to announce that everything is ready. Dick excuses himself to release the two Robins from forced confinement and they all gather in the dining room upon Alfred’s request.

    Dinner is an unusually quiet affair in Steph’s opinion. After everyone but Bruce congratulates her on snagging Zsasz, the noise disappears. There is none of the usual bickering as Tim ignores Damian in favor of discussing a case. Dick and Tim talk quietly, using the closeness of their seats to their advantage. Tim doesn’t let his conversation prevent him from giving Steph meaningful looks when he can get her attention. Bruce reads over reports at the head of the table, and the near-silence makes the dread that much worse. She tries to catch Jason’s eyes across the table but fails. He refuses to look up from his plate, content to drag his utensils around his plate without actually eating anything.

    Well, she has to do this at some point. Better go ahead and rip the bandaid off.

    Deep breath.

    Clearing her throat gets the attention of nearly everyone in the room, the loudest sound since Alfred brought the food in. Jason finally meets her eyes and he nods at her, giving her permission to make the announcement.

    “I have an announcement to make.” Duh, Steph. No need to state the obvious.“So, uh. We haven’t had a big family dinner in a while, have we? Um. Well, Jason and I,” she pauses. Jason appears to be mustering his strength, tensing for the incoming chaos. “Jason and I are dating. We have been for a little while now. Things are going great and we really just want everyone to be happy for us,” she recites, giving the mini speech she had practiced on Jason before they arrived.

    If she thought it had been quiet before, she was wrong. There was not even a single sound from anyone. Clearly, no one is sure how to react. Eyes dart between Stephanie and Jason, eyebrows are raised, and jaws are dropped. All at once, the silence is swiftly demolished as everyone reacts at the same time.

    “Fatgirl and Todd? Figures.”

    “ _ What _ ? Why the hell didn’t you mention this before now?”

    “Yes. Good. Happy.” 

    “I knew something was different between you two the second you arrived.”

    “Well, I am really enjoying the food tonight. Thank you, Alfred.”

    Tim speaks loudly over the chaos, effectively silencing the room once more. Alfred responds with a polite nod at the compliment. This spurs quite the enthusiastic change in conversation as everyone adds praise to the pile. Until Bruce, that is. He had yet to look up from his notes despite the announcement and following chaos, and must have mostly tuned the room out while everyone commented on Jason and Steph’s news and complimented Alfred’s cooking. His contribution is short and to the point.

    “I think I prefered the casserole you made last time, Alfred.”

    Silence falls on the room once again, but Alfred maintains his composure. Steph is relieved the attention has shifted away so easily. For once she is thankful for Bruce’s assholery.

    “Perhaps you should have made yourself the casserole from last time, then. I’m sure you are perfectly capable of cooking your own dinner.”

    “Perhaps.”

    “Then perhaps you should try making your own meals a while.”

    Bruce finally looks up, seeming to finally recognize that everyone else is witnessing the exchange silently. He raises an eyebrow at Alfred.

    “You can’t be serious.”

    “I think you will find that I am perfectly serious, sir.”

    Steph can see everyone glancing around to each other as if no one can believe what they just witnessed. She can barely believe it herself. But whatever just went down, it seems to dissipate the tension as nervous laughter breaks out. Jason gets a pat on the back from Dick and Cass communicates her approval to him in quick motions. Babs reaches over and places her hand over Steph's, forcing her to drag her eyes away from Jason's slightly pink face and look at her mentor.

    “I'm happy for you two, really. I'm surprised I didn't see this coming when the two of you first met.”

    Steph thanks her graciously without lingering on that thought too long, relieved to see most everyone accepting the lie easily, even happy for them over the fake relationship.

    Alfred stands, beginning to gather the dishes forgotten on the table. Jason jumps up to help, looking just as eager as Steph feels to be free of the room. She, too, rises, picking up the nearby empty plates and glasses and carrying them to the kitchen behind Jason and Alfred.

    “Just set those in the sink right there, yes, thank you both,” he denies their help with the dishes smoothly but doesn’t send them back in the dining room. Steph suspects he knows they needed to make a quick exit from everyone’s attention. “It has been quite a treat having both of you here for dinner. Especially you, Master Jason. Do not forget you are welcome around this house whenever you want. You are family, so make use of that whenever you wish.”

    To Steph's surprise, Alfred's sentiment about having them around more, especially Jason, is repeated with each person they say farewell to later in the evening. Steph thanks everyone and promises to do just that before Jason can refuse, not wanting him to shoot them in the foot when they are getting off to such a good start. She ignores his glare every time.

    Just as Steph thinks they are going to get away clean after extracting themselves from the main group, Bruce stops them just as they reach for the door handle.

    “Jason. Stephanie. I would like a word with both of you.”

_ Of course, I just sat through the most painfully awkward dinner with all of the people closest to me and had to lie about my relationship status because I couldn’t admit to my ex that I was single and I let it go too far. Why not talk to Batman about it for a few minutes to fix the whole situation? _

    She turns and smiles at Bruce, nodding.

    “Sure, what is it?”

    Bruce does not react with the same enthusiasm.

    “I need to know if this will cause any issues. If your relationship will affect your performance in the field. I expect both of you to be adults and put your job first when it comes to patrol, but you should tell me now if that will be a problem for you.”

    Steph frowns, glancing at Jason.

    “Of course it won't be a problem. We are perfectly professional. It hasn't caused any issues before now, so I doubt it will in the future unless someone else causes it to be a problem.”

    Steph nods in agreement, content to let Jason speak for both of them now. Bruce seems to accept their answer and grunts before retreating down the hallway.

    “That was eventful.”

    “Understatement.”

    Jason sighs, glancing at her with mild surprise.

    “That was the most civil conversation I’ve had with Bruce in a while. Years, maybe. How did you manage to keep him from yelling at me about justice? It’s his favorite pastime.”

    Steph shrugs, frowning into the security lights as they walk outside.

    “I thought the two of you got along much better now.”

    “We do. We went from trying to kill each other to just yelling at each other occasionally.”

    Jason helps her onto the back of his bike, handing her a helmet to put on while he swings his leg over. He hesitates before starting it, though, which makes Stephanie pause. He glances at her from over his shoulder.

    “I forgot to congratulate you on bagging Zsasz. That's not an easy feat. So congratulations.”

    She grins in response.

    “Look at you, admitting that other people can do things well. Maybe you aren’t as much like Bruce as everyone thinks,” she pokes fun in an attempt to return to the status quo of their...friendship? Anyway, they can’t go getting sappy on each other when they have a job to do. Steph will gladly take up the mantle of keeping things light between them.

    True to form, he rolls his eyes without saying anything in return. By now, she thinks he has figured out when she’s messing with him and when she’s being serious. She even got away with comparing him to Bruce without him getting angry with her. He slides his own helmet on and tears off down the driveway. Steph takes the drive back to her apartment to mull over the events of the evening.

    She gets stuck almost immediately on how uncomfortable Jason had been around everyone. She can’t help but feel frustrated on his behalf. He felt like a stranger in the home he practically grew up in because of some petty disagreement with the man who should be treating him like his son. Jason hadn’t even been killing lately. Not as much, at least. She doesn’t love the idea of being around Bruce more often, but resolves in that moment to drag Jason to the Manor as often as possible in the name of making him more comfortable around his own family. He deserves that much. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you this got long. I had to extend the final chapter count just so this could be its own chapter. Expect longer chapters from here on out as the plot begins to pick up.
> 
> My editors are the best in the world and no one can convince me otherwise.


End file.
